Why no balk in legion?

u-r-out · Jul 27, 2007 at 8:55 PM

spectator2 said: ↑

I was at a Legion game last night and saw a "non" balk call that still doesn't seem right to me. The exact teams and umpires really should have no effect on the call. The fans were "into the game" but were in control of themselves so they had no effect either. There was a runner on 1st base and another runner on 2nd base. The count was 3 - 1 on the batter. The batter asked for "time" about a millisecond before the pitcher started his windup. I've seen this occur in so many other baseball games and this was no different. The batter stayed in the box and the umpire did NOT call time. The pitcher then stumbled/quit continuing to pitch and did not throw the ball. The umpire then immediately said "no pitch". He did not call a balk. He said the batter can not cause the balk to occur. The batter did not do anything out of the normal sequence of events that I've already mentioned. I thought Legion games were supposed to be umpired in accordance with Major League rules - not Little League rules?!?!?! I've always seen this called a balk. Cannot understand how such an easy book rule was missed by the umpire. The only thing I can think of is that this particular umpire was in over his head and should remain in Little League.

An interesting side question: if the pitcher had not stumbled/quit pitching and instead DID deliver the pitch would the umpire have allowed the pitch to continue and call a strike on the batter???

I don't think the umpire can have it both ways..... he should have either called "time", or, called a balk. He can NOT let the pitcher decide, nor the batter.

Any comments on the CORRECT interpretation of Major League rules for this???

I'm not interested in opinions, just would like to know what should have been called....

Based on my interpretation of the MLB rules it was clearly a balk, and the runners each move up 1 base.
Click to expand...

The actions of the batter CANNOT cause the pitcher to balk, if the umpire feels that the batter is doing this with the intent of disrupting the pitcher then he could find him guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct and eject him from the contest. (I doubt that he ever would but he could)

BigDipofCope · Jul 27, 2007 at 10:37 PM

You da man!

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Why no balk in legion?

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